Pinch bar



Patented Unt. 2, 1923.

Sil-'AT5 1,469,367 Parar vOrmes;

WILLIAM E. SMILEY, OE cAzENOvIA, AMD HowAED D. GA NUNG, OE sYEAOUsE,`1\TEw YOEx; sAID GA NUNG AssIGNOIt To SAID SMILEY.

Application led July 24,

To all whom t may concern Be it' known that we, W'ILLIAM E. SMILEY and HOWARD D. GA NUNG, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at

5 Cazenovia, in the county of Madison and State of New York, and at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga. and State of New n York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pinch Bars, yO f which the following is a specification, p

This invention relates to improvements in pinch-bars, designed especiallyfor moving cars and the like, and has Vfor itsObject to provide a Vdevice ofthe class consisting of a main lever which is operated manually,

Vand an auxiliary lever which pivotally supports and serves as a fulcrum 'for the main lever. A' further object is to provideV a twopart corrugated fulcrum, whichis adjustably applied to the auxiliary lever, the said fulcrum having radial teeth which bite into the'lateral margins of the rail, for preventing the bar from slipping during the carmoving operations. A. further object isto provide novel and simple means for adjusting and setting the two parts yof the fulcrum, so that the point of contact with the rail is located in advance of the' center at which the pinching force is applied for preventing the bar from backing away from the wheel. The said fu'lcrum parts also being independently adjustable forbringing sharp and unworn teeth into'engagement with the rail. A further Objectis to provide a pinch-bar which may be disposed Abeneath a car wheel and left there for preventing accidental movementl of thel car. And a further Object is to provide means for limiting the downward' movement of.

40 the main lever for preventing injury' to the operator. I

This invention relates particularly to Vimprovements in the pinch-bar shown and described in U.' S. Patenty .Jp/:1,329,436 dated Feb. 3,1920.

The various features and parts will be understood from the detailed description which follows, and by reference to the ac companying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a side view of the improved pinch-bar applied to a car wheel ready to be operated. Fig. 2 is asimilar view; showing the main lever and detachable handle depressed.. Fig. 8 is a broken top plan: view PINCE BAR.

w22.` serial Eo.'577,234.

of the device. Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal section, taken on line 1-4t of Fig. 8. Fig. 5 isa vertical 'cross-section,

Ltaken on line 5-#5 of Fig. 3. Fig. @is an enlarged broken section; showing means for locking the corrugated fulcrum members in place. Fig. 7 is an inner face view of'one of the fulcrum members. Fig. 8 is a broken elevational view of the auxiliary. lever. And Fig. 9 is aview showing a modification of the detachable and reversible fulcrum parts. In the drawing, 2 represents a car wheel,

VVand 3 represents an ordinary railroad.' rail. `Our improved pinch-bar, consists of a main pinching member 4, 'and'.anauxiliaryfl pinching member 5, the latter having along arm 5', anda short arm 53, and thesaid Y arms preferably being disposed at an angle The long arm to each other, las shown. 5' of member 5 comprises a fork, and its free end is perforated, to receive a bolt 4',

by which the member 4C is pivoted for movement .vertically within the said fork.l The opposite lateral sides of member 5 are provided with broken-cone-shaped axially aliningsockets 5b and 5, which face outwardly,

the bottom portions of said sockets being cutaway facing the rail 3. These sockets are Yaranged to receive the cone-shaped portions of similar corrugated fulcrum members 6 g and 6', each having a number of .regularly spaced relatively sharp teeth 6a, which engage'and bite the lateralbeaded margins 3' of the rail 3, asbest seenin Figs. 4 and 5. The fulcrum members are each bored out axially to. receive a common bolt or axle 6b, which is shown held in place by av nut 6. The tightening up of the nut tends to draw thejmemberse towards each other for-tightly engaging the sockets'5b.-5c. The inner end portions of the members 6-:6 comprise reduced cylinders 6d, which are slightly spaced from each other for facilitating proper adustmentV of the parts. The

fulcrum members 6-6 are held from rO- 1 tation whenapplied to the lever 5, by means similar registering of .thelsaid members, as best shown in Fig. 6, wherein butgone tooth (indicated at m)Y of eachlmember comesinto contact with the rail 3, when the bar is first chocked in thecrotch formed by the wheel and the rail, as shownin Fig. l. By thisr construction A and arrangement, the points of Contact (an) between the members G-and the rail v3, are located forwardly of the vertical axis of the fulcrum, as indicated by the broken line A in Fig. 6. The

importance of this lastV described feature will become apparent when it is understood that practically all of the'older pinch-bars tend to slip away from the car wheels during'the ini ial depressing movement, as'of the handle or main member 4. This results in'considerable loss of'power and time, and calls for many extra operations in order to move a car the desired distance. In the movement present device, by locating the point of contact forwardly of .the center A at which Athe force is applied, the initial .depressing of. the pinch-bar swinging around the axis' 6?, tends to force the bar forwardly deeper Vinto the crotch of the wheel'and rail, therebyI preventing any loss of power orxwasteVv of :,time.Y After' the handle, as 8,"has been lowered a short distance, the adjacent teeth 6aV make Contact withthe rail 3 at y (see Fig. 6). The con- Itinued depression of the handle, shifts the weight from theateeth at 0c, to the pointy,

while the center LA swings rearwardly to- -wardsv the latter point, corresponding VIto the a elevation-'of the shorter arm 5: of the lever .a 'bolt 7 and a nut 7a, the latter 'beineF vdisposed in a socket 7b inthe bottomB'a (see Fig. 4). Thef rear edge of the nose-piece 7 preferably .bears against a round shoulder 7c of the member 5, and when the bar is forced between the wheel and the rail, the forwardVv edge of the'V part 7 readily con- V'forms to the'usual bevel face ofv the wheel/s tread, byprota'ting slightly ony the pivot 7,

to theextent allowed the curvature of the `shoulder 7b,fas lshown by full and dotted linesin Fig. lThis construction and arrangement insures the *full bearing Vof the part' 7 againstthe wheel, whether or not' the latter bevels towardsthe' right or left.

' r y By r'providing the two fulcrum members A6-6,"eitheror both of said parts may be V 'frequently adjustedfforl bringing the unworn" teeth *6aL intothe' contact positions showny at -z/ in'Fig. 6, by simply loosening the boltV 6b. This prolonge the life of the members 6-6, without any loss of efiiciency till the last tooth 6a is worn out.

The pinching member 4 consists of ahollow tapering socket 45,'which is arranged to receive the tapering end 8 of the detachablev handle 8, the latter preferably being held in the socket by friction. Beyond the-socket 8 the member 4is solid and is perforated to receive the bolt 4, by which said member is pivoted in the forked arm 5 of the auxibY iary member. Beyond the pivot 4 the member 4 is provided with av socket 4b, iny which is loosely journaled a roller 9, by a -pin 9. This roller preferably projects some Hdistance above the top-side of the lever 4, and is employed the same as thev nose-piece 7 for engaging and moving the wheel 2,- when the handle 8 is depressed. From the roller 9 the member4 extends downwardlyat an angle, for providing a safetystop l0, the Y angularity ofsaid stop being such that, its free end does not contact vwiththe tread `ofi the wheel 2, until themelmber 4 and the roller 9 have completed the pinching operation. During the pinching operationY the member 4 exerts its maximum lifting power only while the rolle` 9 is in engagement with the tread of the wheel 2. The extent of this lifting power may be appreciated by comparing the distance between the pivots 4 and 9 with the length ofthe member 4 from the vpivot 4 to' the free end ofthe handle 8.' Primarily, thesafetystop- 10 Yis provided for preventing the sudden downward movement of the handle 8, at the end of each effective pinching stroke', and after relsg of thecorrugated fulcrums, as shown V in Figs. l, 4 and 5. By the latter provision, the device `may be employed for` Vblocking the wheel 2 against' accidental movement by gravity or otherwise, during theloading and Vunloading of the car. When used-as aj block,

the weightand pressure of the wheelis' exerted: against the nosepiece 7 and the roller 9,.as shown in Fig. l. During the blocking intervahthe handle 8 should bevwithdrawn from the socket 4, 'as a precaution against accident or tampering. f

, Figure 9 illustrates armodilication of the device, wherein the auxiliary memberl 12 is Vprovidedwith a plain pinching nose 12',

and lateral angular sockets 12a, which re- Y ceive co'rrespondingly'shaped fulcrummembers 13, the said members having similar relatively large angular teeth 18a-*13b at the top and bottom' sides. These fulcrum members are reversible lfor bringingthe top; most teeth into engagement with the railf3, and the said members as well as'themembers 6 6 are interchangeable. 14 represents the main pinching member which is similar to the member 4, except that the vpinchingy portion 14 is a plain hump', instead of a roller (as 9). nall other respects the modified lstructure is substantially same as that shown and described. 'Y v Having thus described our invention, what we claim, is-

l. A pinch bar for moving cars, including a manually operable pinching lever and an angular auxiliary pinching member, the said parts'being pivotallyv connected, said lever and said member each having a pinching nose adapted to engage the tread of a'car wheel, spaced fulcrum means carried by said member adapted to bite the opposite lateral margins of the rail, means for'indexing and holding the fulcrum means for preventing the skidding of the pinch bar away from the car wheel while the pinching force is being applied, and means forl adjusting the fulcrum means independently of each other.

2. In apinch-bar, a main'pinchingV lever having a socket at one end and an angular stop at the other end, a portion of said lever intermediate its ends adapted to engage the tread of a car wheel, an

auxiliary pinching member having a long arm for pivotally supporting said main lever and having a short arm whose free end comprises a pinching nose arranged at an angle to the longer arm, and having similar registering sockets disposed intermediate the free ends of said arms, similar fulcrum members having teeth for biting the rail adjustably disposed in the sockets of said auxiliary member, and means for rigidly holding said fulcrum members in said sockets. g

3. In a pinch bar for moving cars, the

Vcombination of similar aligning fulcrum u Anz@ Y l members. having a common axis the said members liavingcorresponding radial teeth adapted to bite tlie lateral margins of a rail, an auxiliary pinching lever having lateral sockets to receive the Said fulcruni,

members, means for adjusting said fulcrum members independently of each other, means for indexing said fulcrum members where ilateral' margins of. a rail, an auxiliary pinching member having laterally facing sockets to receive said fulcrum members, said ,sockets being provided 'with' radial teeth adapted to position said fulcruin members so that one tooth of each meinberengages the rail at a point forwardly of the vertical axis of said sockets, a nose-piece adjustably mounted on't'he forwardend ofsaid auxiliary member, a main pinching member pivote'd to the'rear end of sucli auxiliary member the forward end of said main member being .arranged at an angle and adapted to engage the tread of the car wheel for arresting the downward movement of the main member at the end of the pinching operations, and a .roller pivoted at the apex of the angle of said main member adapted to co-operate with said nose-piece for pinching a car wheel. Y

' 5. A` pinch-bar for moving railroad cars including an angular auxiliary .pinching member` the forward end of said memeber comprising a pinching nose, the rear end of said member being forked, sockets formed in the opposite lateral sides ofvsaid auxiliary`r Y member and aligning axially, similar corrugated fulcrum members adjustably appliedv to saidsockets, the teeth of isaid'; fulcrum members adapted to bite the lateral margins of a rail and one tooth of each fulcrum member arranged to engage the-rail at a point forwardly of the vertical axis of said members and said sockets, for t preventing the pinch-bar frm slipping away from the car wheel during the initial pinching operation, means for locking said fulerum menibers in said sockets for preventing rotation thereof, and a main lever pivoted in the fork of the auxiliary member, the forward end of said main lever comprising a stop adapted to engage the tread of the car-wheel limiting said lever having an upwardly and forwardly projecting pinching portion beyond said stop adapted to co-operatewith said pinching nose for moving the car.

6. A pinch-bar comprising an angular auxiliary pinching member, the forward end of said member comprising a pinching nose, the rear end of said member being forked, and the 'opposite sides of said member adjacent the apex of said angle being formed with similar conical sockets, corrugated cone-shaped fulcrum members disposed in said sockets and aligning axially, the corrugated portions thereof being .spaced substantially the `breadth-of the top face ofa rail', meansfor holding said nlolum members tightly in saidfsookets, .meansl for indexing saidinlerum,members so that but one `tooth off-each ulerum.ineI-nbery engages the rail at a point forwardly of the vertical axis. of Said Sockets at: the. Start of eaeh` pinching'l operation', amai-n pinehingmember pivoted real wardlyfof Said socketsl and havingy a hump adaptedy to: eo-operate with. said pine-hing nose for-moving the car wheel.

7. In. a pinchfbar. the combinationV of, a main leveranct anvauxilia'ry lever', Saidlevers being. pi-votally connected. and.` adapted to be operated inv a; vertical plane74 the forward end of said auxiliaryv member comprisingia pinching nose. adapted tol engage the tread of@ av car wheel adjacent the rail, the main lever` having an upwardlyv projecting pinchingr portion nearits. orwardend. adapted lie-sae@ toengage; the; tread ,of the, .wheeL at a.` higher plane', the opposite..l lateral sides of said auxiliary member beingiormed'with Gone: shaped sockets having a common-transverse axis saidsoekets being*` disposed between. 'the4 said pinchingfnose. and saidv pinching por.-

tion, simile-r, corrugated :Eulcrum members teeth of. said members:V engage .the rail l orfy wardly of the vertieal'axis ofi said`V members for preventing retrograde movement ofi the ;l

bar during the pinehingoperations..

Initestimony. whereof we aiixvr our Signatures..

WILLIAM SMILEY.

HowARD DGA NUN@ 

